Win a BitTorrent Plus Subscription

The only thing better than BitTorrent is more BitTorrent, which is why we created BitTorrent Plus. Because we appreciate you, our loyal, dedicated fans, we decided to give away five BitTorrent Plus subscriptions (a $24.95 value each), good for one year, as our way of saying “thank you” for supporting our technology for more than a decade.

To enter for a chance to win a year’s subscription to the finest torrent client around, all you have to do is show your support for BitTorrent somewhere on the Web (see below for details, subject to our contest rules here). You can get up to 4 entries (1 for each task you complete) and winners will be chosen at random from the eligible entries as of 5:00 pm, PST on May 1, 2012. So, the more of a social demon you are, the better your odds. Ready?

1) Follow us on Twitter and tweet out the following: I want to win a @BitTorrent Plus account: http://bit.ly/WINBTPLUS

2) Like us on Facebook. If you already like our page, simply post a comment.

3) Follow us on Pinterest.

4) Finally, we just got an Instagram account. Make sure to follow us there. Username: bittorrent

Winners will be contacted on Friday, May 4th. Good luck!

Not up on why Plus is so great? Here’s the skinny:

1) You can set up a remote account and access your BitTorrent library anytime, from anywhere, and from any device that has a supported browser.

2) Since Plus supports most popular file formats, you can view your HD content as it was meant to be: in high-definition. That’s like having an HDTV on your computer (plus, it’s much less expensive).

3) Move files from your torrent library and play them on popular devices including iPads, smart phones – even your own television.*

4) Protect your PC and torrent library from viruses. Not all files are safe. With BitTorrent Plus, your torrent content is scanned, keeping your downloads safer from viruses, malware and other threats.

*- Television playback when combined with Apple TV, Xbox, or PS3.

Everything else you need to know about BitTorrent Plus can be found here.

Exclusive Interview with Pioneer One’s Josh Bernhard

Ever since it was created two years ago, Pioneer One has blazed new trails for Web-based TV. The poli-sci-fi drama not only attracted a cult following (its been downloaded 4 million times and counting) and received critical accolades including “Best Drama Pilot” at 2010′s New York Television Festival (plus a recent nomination for the “People’s Voice” Webby Award), but the show also proved that the Web is a space where TV producers can create new franchises from the ground up.

We were lucky enough to catch up with the show’s co-producer, Josh Bernhard, to discuss the benefits of using our distribution platform, which political events inspired the series, his advice for aspiring television producers, and much more.

BT: Why did you decide to work with BitTorrent vs. another distribution platform?

JB: BitTorrent seemed like an untapped resource. There are already existing communities based around sharing files using the BT protocol and it seemed like no one was catering specifically to them. And because of that, there was an opportunity to stand out.

BT: What were the advantages of using BitTorrent?

JB: Well firstly, of course, BT is a very efficient way of disseminating large files. Also BT users are tech-savvy who are actively, rather than passively, seeking out content.

BT: What were the challenges you faced using BitTorrent?

JB: The main challenge was educating the non-tech-savvy about the technology, which is why we also had alternate streaming options on sites like YouTube. But BT was our primary distribution venue and where the overwhelming majority of our viewers came from.

BT: How does the model you chose for distribution compare to that of traditional television?

JB: Well TV is becoming less and less of an “appointment” medium, and more of a watch-at-your-convenience medium with DVRs and other so-called time-shifting options. And they’re struggling to catch up. I think distributing through BT is ahead of the curve, because while traditional television is struggling to keep apace, we’re already debuting in the medium where most people are getting their content in the first place.

BT: What were the obstacles of working with the BitTorrent ecosystem?

JB: Mainly because there are so many communities with different ways of working, it was getting everyone to launch our episodes at the same time. But that was mainly handled by VODO.

BT: How did you come up with the name Pioneer One?

JB: It sounds like we made it up for marketing purposes, doesn’t it? That was entirely coincidental. ‘Pioneer’ has to do with being the first to Mars, as does the ‘one’, which also refers to the Yuri character who is alone. My first thought for a title was Life on Mars, but that was unfortunately taken already!

BT: This is a science-fiction series but there are definitely some deep, underlying political currents surfacing throughout the first season. What real-life parallels did you draw from? What international events inspired your storyline?

JB: Actually, we do think of the show as a political drama, albeit with a sci-fi premise at its core. One thing that greatly influenced me during the gestation process for Pioneer One was the healthcare debate in the US circa 2009. Whatever your politics, the whole thing just really exposed how ideology can make facts transmutable. It seemed as if an event like a cosmonaut returning from a secret mission to Mars wouldn’t just be accepted so readily, that the biggest obstacle he would have to deal with would be human politics rather than the journey itself.

BT: Tell us about season two, Control. Why that name and what are your plans?

JB: Control is not season 2 of Pioneer One. While it has origins as part of the P1 universe, it has no direct connection to the show. Our plan is to make this pilot for the 2012 New York Television Festival, where the Pioneer One pilot won for Best Drama in 2010. The idea is to make something to shop to networks and buyers, and is part of our strategy to getting season 2 of P1 made by attracting attention from the right people.

BT: You used Kickstarter to raise an initial round of funding in April, 2010 for the pilot and now you’re utilizing them again to fund season two. What attracted you to their service and is this the definitive solution you’d recommend to others looking to create a TV series?

JB: Kickstarter is great for just that–kickstarting a project to life. I’ve seen web series successfully fund new seasons from their fans using the service–most notably season 2 of Jane Espenson’s Husbands, but I think that’s more the exception than the rule. I think it’s a great way to get a first episode made as a proof of concept, which is our plan for Control, and was our original plan for Pioneer One. What happened with P1 was the response was so large and we pulled in so much money afterward from donations through VODO that we realized we could make the rest of the first season.

That said, I could be completely wrong! There are no rules when it comes to this stuff.

BT: What’s the best piece of advice you have for aspiring filmmakers?

JB: Don’t wait. Make films. However you can. You’re never going to be 100% ready or 100% happy. The only way to get closer to achieving your vision is by having the experience of doing work.

BT: How much, in your opinion, has social media contributed to your success? Which platforms do you recommend the most for connecting with your fans?

JB: Social media has been key in our success. It’s our primary medium for connecting with our fans and getting the word out. The usual suspects are Facebook and Twitter, which we’re still using to great effect.

BT: Thank you for your time, Josh. We can’t wait for Control.

To find out everything you need to know about Pioneer One, visit http://pioneerone.tv. Don’t forget to show your support for their brand new series, Control, by backing it on Kickstarter.

Death Grips/BitTorrent Exclusive: New Video + Music Bundle Now Live

Even if you can’t make it to Coachella this afternoon, we’ve got an exclusive music video (and much more) from one of the most anticipated acts – Death Grips.

In advance of the launch of their brand-new album The Money Store (scheduled for release by Epic Records on April 24), the noise-rap trio Death Grips has compiled a unique download bundle just for you. The highlight is the world-premiere video for the new single I’ve Seen Footage.

Beyond the new video single, Death Grips has included four additional videos and MP3s all off the new album Get Got, The Fever (Aye Aye), Blackjack, and a Lost Boys drum cam live video). It’s a free download…fire up your BitTorrent or µTorrent client and download the exclusive bundle here.

Like what you hear? While the full album won’t be released until April 24, you can pre-order the album here and be one of the first to hear all the latest music from Death Grips!

Or follow the band on Facebook or Twitter to keep in touch with the band for tour dates and more.

Check it out, and tell us what you think in the comments below. And if you’d like to chat with the Death Grips trio, catch them in an exclusive Twitter interview, sponsored by BitTorrent, at 2:00 p.m. PST…today! Just follow both Death Grips (@DeathGripz) and BitTorrent (@BitTorrent) for the entire Q&A session or track the designated hashtag, #bit.

Enjoy, and please let us know what you think in the comments. Want more details? Check out the press release.

We’re lucky to have Ro on the team!

Gigaom

BitTorrent Inc. has hired veteran tech entrepreneur Ro Choy away from Formspring, where he served as the company’s COO since last April. Choy officially started as BitTorrent’s VP of Business Development and Marketing a few days ago, joining a team of close to 100 employees as the company is looking to venture into live streaming and other new products. Choy told me during a phone conversation Monday that he is excited about the new opportunity. “BitTorrent is really a rare and iconic brand,” he said.

Choy started his career at eBay, (s EBAY) and then went on to work for RockYou, where he oversaw a growth in revenue from $300,000 to $35M per year as the company’s chief revenue officer. He went on to found his own social Q&A start-up, which was later acquired by Formspring.

Asked about similarities between his previous jobs and BitTorrent, Choy pointed to…

View original post 217 more words

Live Twitter Chat with Death Grips TODAY – Ask Away

The band posted 109 animated .gif files to their site. Visit http://thirdworlds.net/retrograde/ to play all clips simultaneously (you’ve been warned).

There isn’t anything conventional about Death Grips, the experimental punk/hip-hop trio hailing from Sacramento. Since forming in late 2010, they’ve managed to capture the attention of fans, critics, and Epic Records with their incongruous yet wonderfully enthralling beats. The band will release not one but two albums this year, starting with The Money Store on April 21st, for Record Store Day (April 24th everywhere else), and No Love Follows, this fall, via Epic.

Earlier today, at 2:00 p.m., PST, BitTorrent had the opportunity to do a live chat on Twitter with the band and it went remarkably well. We replied, back and forth, until about 3:30 p.m., and we’re grateful for the time the band took out of its busy schedule (an hour-and-a-half is huge, especially before a performance) to answer questions submitted by fans.

If you missed the conversation or want a recap, visit this link. Below, you’ll find a more structured, chronological layout that’s a bit easier to follow. We’d also be remiss if we didn’t thank our participants for their thoughtful questions. Now we know the meaning of “noided,” which authors they read, and the types of music Death Grips likes besides their own. As a bonus, we also received some exclusive pics from the band before they took the stage at Coachella. Without further ado, as it could only be done on Twitter:

BT: @DeathGripz we’ve got some good questions. Ready to go? How is #Coachella treating you?

DG: @BitTorrent WE OUT HERE palm tree lean 2012

From @MattMason: @DeathGripz @BitTorrent Thanks for doing this! Excited to work with you guys, we’re big fans. How’s Coachella?

BT: @DeathGripz awesome. Are you excited to go onstage? I love Coachella. Wish I was there. Especially to see you guys at 5:30.

DG: @BitTorrent upside down on the jumbotron

Photo credit: Death Grips

BT: @DeathGripz awesome. We wish we were there with you guys. Coachella is such a great festival. So, are you ready for some fan questions?

DG: @BitTorrent bringitbringtbringit!!!!!!

BT: @DeathGripz You put on an amazing live show. What are some contemporary acts you’d love to see live? via @culturegrinder

BT: @DeathGripz BTW, we think @MattMason might be your biggest fan here. Are SMOKE BOMBS / HVLLA SVBS the two contemporary acts 2 see live?

DG: @BitTorrent @culturegrinder SNOOP DOGG DAFT PUNK

BT: @DeathGripz @culturegrinder good choices. I’ve seen both. @thePLAMPS wants to know: Will you ever play the song ‘Thru the Walls’ live?

DG: @BitTorrent @theplamps we will play ALL our material live

BT: @DeathGripz right on. This next q comes from Josh Lowen: Love Death Grips! What kind of music do they listen to on their own time?

DG: @BitTorrent energy music punk metal dub pop bounce

BT: @DeathGripz a pretty diverse, eclectic mix. So, from @istitch What’s good in Sacramento?

DG: @BitTorrent @istitch zeldas & FWC 916 .. tent life

BT: @DeathGripz This one’s from @newpleroma Do you guys read a lot of sci-fi and s–t like William Gibson?

DG: @BitTorrent @newpleroma greg egan on the major, isaac asimov, murakami, margaret atwood

BT: @DeathGripz @newpleroma Nice. Love Murakami, especially.@istitch has another Q: what do you hate about Coachella, what do you love?

DG: @BitTorrent BLACKJACK

Photo credit: Death Grips

BT: @DeathGripz nice shot. Personally, I love Instagram but Twitter’s solution works just as well too.

DG: @BitTorrent @newpleroma @istitch we love the sound system

DG: @BitTorrent MASSIVE (editor’s note: I think this is what they dislike)

BT: @DeathGripz Do @DeathGripz think they could ever transfer the intimacy of their live shows to bigger venues? from @thePLAMPS

DG: @BitTorrent @theplamps yes it’s coming

BT: @DeathGripz sooner than later, hopefully. From @istitch What do you think about the terms ‘noise rap’ and ‘punk rap’?

DG: @BitTorrent @istitch WE DON’T #bit accelerate destroy create ignore

DG: @BitTorrent NOIDED

BT: @DeathGripz can’t say we blame you. How did you come across the sample used at the end of the song ‘Culture Shock’ on Exmilitary?

DG: @BitTorrent “galactic federation of light” straight from the 5D

BT: @DeathGripz btw, while we’re on the topic, what is “noided” and how can I stay that way? via @culturegrinder

DG: @BitTorrent @culturegrinder paranoid. Stay out the middle of the road. Rewind. Endless

BT: @DeathGripz Good advice. Okay, we’ve got 2 more questions left. @PozPrincess would like to know if you’re ever coming to Ohio?

DG: @BitTorrent @pozprincess yes!! we’ll be there in September

BT: @DeathGripz @pozprincess will definitely be pleased. Final question from @newpleroma: What’s No Love gonna be like?

DG: @BitTorrent KVLL TIME GTG THANK YOU !!!! -death

BT: @DeathGripz Thank you guys. Good luck tonight at Coachella. Wish we could be there for your 5:30 set.

Death Grips will spend the next few months on tour, with stops at Coachella and London’s All Tomorrow’s Parties. Make sure you check them out in person, it’s a fantastic show:

• 04/12 – Pomona, CA @ The Glass House
• 04/13 – Indio, CA @ Coachella
• 04/20 – Indio, CA @ Coachella
• 05/05 – Sacramento, CA @ Sacramento Electronic Music Festival
• 05/18 – Dublin, UK @ The Academy
• 05/19 – Glasgow, UK @ Stag & Dagger
• 05/20 – Manchester, UK @ The Roadhouse
• 05/21 – Nottingham, UK @ The Bodega
05/22 – Norfolk, UK @ Norwich Arts Center
• 05/23 – Brighton, UK @ Green Store Door
• 05/25 – London, UK @ ATP’s “I’ll Be Your Mirror”
05/26 – Paris, FR @ Grande Hall de La Villette
• 05/27 – Rotterdam, NL @ Worm
• 05/28 – Amsterdam, NL @ OT301
• 05/29 – Nijmegen, NL @ Merleyn
• 06/01 – Barcelona, ES @ Primavera Sound
• 06/02 – Barcelona, ES @ Field Day Festival
• 06/04 – Brussels, BE @ Magasin
• 06/05 – Gent, BE @ Charlatan
• 06/06 – Cologne, DE @ Mtc
• 06/07 – Berlin, DE @ Gretchen
• 06/08 – Hamburg, DE @ Hafenklang
• 06/09 – Porto, PT @ Optimus Primavera Sound
• 06/12 – Philadelphia, PA @ The Barbery
• 06/13 – Brooklyn, NY @ Music Hall of Williamsburg
• 06/14 – Boston, MA @ TT the Bear’s
• 06/15 – Montreal, QC @ Club Lambri
• 06/16 – Toronto, ON @ Wrong Bar
• 06/18 – Detroit, MI @ Magic Stick
• 06/19 – Grand Rapids, MI @ The Pyramid Scheme
• 06/20 – Chicago, IL @ Bottom Lounge
• 06/21 – Minneapolis, MN @ Triple Rock
• 09/21-23 – Asbury Park, NJ @ ATP’s “I’ll Be Your Mirror”

Dubstep Master and Rising Star Billy Van is Now Available on BitTorrent

A year ago, not many people knew much about dubstep. Now, this subgenre of electronic dance music is gracing the covers of major magazines, dominating the Grammy awards and giving birth to a plethora of young rising stars set to take over dance floors across the world. We happen to think one of those rising stars is Billy Van and we are happy to introduce his new EP “The Cardigan” to BitTorrent users today! Check out Billy Van’s Featured Content page here and download the “Cardigan” EP torrent directly here.

Our goal with the Spotlight Artist program is to connect you with quality entertainment and to help artists connect with new fans. It gives us pleasure to find artists that are on the cusp of popularity – coming into the music scene at the right moment ready to hit the tipping point. For Billy Van, the young producer with a masterful ear and knack for combining pop song mashups and distinct wobble base, we believe the tipping point is now.  We imagine the excitement to be working with such a rising star feeling something like finding Nero, Skrillex and Deadmau5 before the rest of the world knew who they were.

Billy Van has been quickly gaining popularity on the Internet and in the electronic music scene following his placement within the Tiesto Remix Contest, ranking in the Top 10 of the world. Since then, on the heels of the ever-growing popularity of dubstep in the United States, he has been producing tracks and releasing mashups that are technically flawless and a treat to listen to.

Billy Van said, “BitTorrent is an excellent platform for independent artists who are looking for alternative distribution of their music in order to gain fans and revenue through live shows and other avenues. This is the perfect platform for an up-and-coming dubstep producer like myself.”

BitTorrent’s chief strategist Shahi Ghanem said, “BitTorrent has always been about using our innovative technology to connect artists’ content to a massive audience using a revolutionary platform for self-distribution. We’re excited to be working with Billy Van to explore these alternative methods of distribution.”

Read more about Billy Van, download the “Cardigan” EP and check out his music videos on our Featured Content page here. Also make sure to like Billy Van on Facebook to receive updates on future releases and live shows.

L5: Crowd-Funded Cinematic Sci-Fi Project Debuts on BitTorrent

We love science fiction here at BitTorrent! We have been really anticipating the release of L5 – a creative and compelling story taking place on a space ship and earth 200 years into the future. Read more about L5, connect with the filmmakers and download the movie on our Featured Content page here. Or download the movie torrent directly here.

L5 is a completely crowd-funded production that delivers quality content with extremely high production value. We love the creative ways the artists are able to give BitTorrent audiences an amazing movie on such a low budget. It is no surprise these Chicago natives have been able to stretch their creative wings with not only ushering in a new renaissance of science fiction but also enabling themselves (and other artists) to fund projects in new and exciting ways.

Seeing what they have been able to do with so little, we are excited to see what can be done with even more. One goal of these artists is to build a unique production environment that will enable them to continue creating more episodes of L5, as well as other original science fiction content. The money raised will go towards seeding a brand new, cloud based production system. It will fund a proof of concept for a cloud based intelligent task management technology, in order to create a global film and visual effects production system.

We love when content creators push the envelope with art and media and invite our users to read more about their goals and help support these artists donate to their production company at Vodo.

About L5

The crew aboard the spaceship Argo has just awoken from hypersleep to a nightmare. Having spent the last twenty years searching for a new home to salvage humanity from a dying earth they return home and find something has gone terribly wrong. They have been mysteriously impelled 200 years into the future and find not a trace of any human life. The Argo’s Commander, Dr. Richard Adams is determined to find some answers and aided by the ship’s surgeon, Rod Lewis and A.I., Clarke, decides to explore the one clue to the massive floating O’Neill colony named L5. After an exploratory skiff goes missing inside the colony, Adams and Lewis venture inside themselves to find the answers they seek, nothing can prepare them for what they are about to find. L5 is a completely crowd-funded production, through the generosity of donors from sites such as kickstarter and indiegogo, the creative team of L5 has spent a year bringing the story to life.

More L5

Donate

Production Blog

Web site

PAZ is Back! “Young, Broke & Fameless II” Out Today…

Our friend PAZ has returned to BitTorrent, and we couldn’t be more excited. His debut mixtape “Young Broke & Fameless” — a lo-fi collection of fan-favorite acoustic covers and originals, was our very first music Artist Spotlight release almost a year and a half ago. It was a smash hit (way over 500,000 downloads before old tracker gave out).

Today, PAZ’s sophomore album, Young Broke & Fameless II, makes its bow. Download it free here. And for a sample of his trademark sound – a foot-stomping mashup of hip-hop, rock, and dance beats – check out the album’s first hit single/video Beautiful Lies here.

While infamous in pop culture for such antics as stealing Paris Hilton’s birthday cake, PAZ is nothing short of a pure talent. His mashups and songs that can make artists like Wiz Khalifa vs. Jack Johnson to Kanye West vs. Afrojack sound like they were meant for each other.

Since his initial mixtape went viral thanks to our awesome community, things have gone at warp speed for PAZ. Young Broke & Fameless II features collaborations with Tayyib Ali, Chris Young, and Kimberly Cole. Check it out on our Featured Artist page here and find more information about Paz, his projects and can ways to support his efforts with Kickstarter. The new album and video is also available here.

“PAZ is a true music trailblazer,” said Stephen Collins, product manager at BitTorrent. “He embodies the independent spirit and fearless entrepreneurialism of the digital generation. Beyond embracing his fans and BitTorrent, PAZ’s music is pure entertainment and his new album is a must-add to your music collection.”

“As a musician, it’s awesome to reach fans around the world – and BitTorrent is the single most efficient way to do just that,” said PAZ. “Their ongoing support of independent artists is breaking down barriers. When it came time to decide how to distribute my new album, there was no doubt BitTorrent would be at the top of my list.”

PAZ is a true artist and entertainer that has made fans of not only all of us at BitTorrent, but also some of music’s hottest acts such as Girl Talk, Far East Movement and Big Sean.  We know his new album will delight both current fans and new listeners worldwide. Check it out now!

Also, for a regular dose of humor, follow PAZ’s weekly mashup show or keep up to date with his always outrageous posts on Facebook.

More from Paz

Featured Content Page

Facebook

Kickstarter

Twitter

Web site

Two BitTorrent Live Events this week!

It’s Friday and you know what that means – we have another BitTorrent Live event streaming to anyone who would like to join as a tester. However, this week we have a special treat for you as we are bringing two special live Web casts into the studio.

Our first BitTorrent live event is tonight at 8:00 PM PT (4:00 GMT) featuring DJ Feral and VJ Kai. To join simply head to http://live.bittorrent.com when the event starts. More information about tonight’s show can also be found here.

If you can’t join in as a tester tonight, we have another live Web cast tomorrow (February 11) at 8:00 PM PT (4:00 GMT) with Bray, our featured artist this week. Check our Bray’s new single here and join us tomorrow for the stream of his exclusive live concert in our studio.  To RSVP and get more information about the Bray webcast, check out the Facebook event here.

Bray is Back with New Single and Special Live Event

Remember Bray? The San Francisco local, who first released his exclusive rock album and video bundle on BitTorrent, is back again with a new hit single “Little Black Heart” and exclusive live streaming event for this Saturday, February 11^th, at 9PM PT.

You can preview and download “Little Black Heart” plus find more information about Bray and the live event here or download the torrent directly here.  Let us know what you think and we hope to see you this Saturday when Bray streams his concert as part of a special test series with BitTorrent Live. You can catch the live stream this Saturday at 9:00 PM PT here.

More About Bray

Bray’s latest album, the ten-track @mphibian, opens with the crashing-out-of-the-gate sci-fi themed “Clone Me.” It also features the anthemic insta-hit “Only The Brave,” the scintillating “Tie Me Up,” and the gripping ballad, “Long Gone” (the video has garnered 35,000 YouTube views thus far!). Nate Seltenrich of the East Bay Express describes the album as having a “straightforward hard-rock style,” with “confidence and attitude…that works.”  Tracks from Bray’s previously released studio CDs, “Independent Film’ and ‘Pins and Needles,’ have enjoyed heavy rotation on over 150 CMJ stations nationwide, charting as high as #3.  His tunes have appeared in national television shows on NBC, as well as in MTV Road Rules, VH1 Old Skool and the syndicated reality series, Bad Girls Club.

The full album and band merchandise can be purchased here.

With his fourth studio album now in production and the “Clone Me” video release coming this Saturday November 5, Bray is not an artist to miss. He’s performed to over 500,000 at SF Pride and shared stages with Slash, Scott Weiland, Joe Satriani, and members of the Doors and The Sex Pistols.  “Bray and his band blow the doors off the joint!” raves Grammy Award-winner Dr. Fink (Prince).  At a recent performance for the Grammy New Artist Showcase in San Francisco, Narada Michael Walden ran backstage immediately after Bray’s set and proclaimed him a star.

• “Bray is undefeated in the originality category.”  Zero Magazine

• “Mike Patton and Elvis Costello meeting for a Molotov, with the sharp riffs of The Killers, and theatrical shades of Bowie,” Brooke Aldridge of Pulse.

• “I wouldn’t be surprised at all if he lands a major recording contract.”  Aaron Axelson, music director of San Francisco’s leading rock station, LIVE 105.

To connect with Bray on social media and keep up-to-date on the latest news and tour dates, please visit:

www.facebook.com/braymusicfans

http://www.youtube.com/braymusic

http://www.twitter.com/braymusic

http://www.braymusic.com